IPL 2019, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings: CSK elect to bowl against KKR
Hello and welcome to CricketCountry’s coverage of Match 29 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019 in which two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) host table-toppers and the three-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
3.55 PM: Chennai Super Kings are ready. Are you? asks the team
The prep in place for the Kings vs Knights! Game time it is! Are you ready with the whistles, #WhistlePoduArmy?! #WhistlePodu #KKRvCSK #Yellove ???????? pic.twitter.com/MQQabV7POh
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 14, 2019
3.35 PM: Here’s what both the captains had to say at the toss
Dinesh Karthik: We need to bat well. It’s important to hit the right areas when we bowl. It’s been a flat wicket and it’s difficult to take wickets if the batsmen get going. Lynn and Narine are back and Gurney is back in place of Ferguson. Very positive and looking forward to this game.
MS Dhoni: We’ll bowl first. If you see the wickets, they have been good over here. It’s difficult to contain batsmen here, hence we need the opposition to put the runs on the board. We have had a few niggles and concerns but not particularly worried about that. Hope that Bravo comes back as soon as possible, he gives a balance to our side. Without him being there, we need to find the right balance. We have chased down totals, so I think we are in a good space. We are playing with the same side.
We'll be BATTING first! ????#KKRvCSK #VIVOIPL #KKRHaiTaiyaar pic.twitter.com/zh5kXjuZep
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 14, 2019
Here are the 1⃣1⃣ #Knights for #KKRvCSK
With 3⃣ changes we are back to the same line-up that faced #CSK in Chennai! ????#KKRHaiTaiyaar pic.twitter.com/N3aI1HRDRo
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 14, 2019
KKR Playing XI: Sunil Narine, Chris Lynn, Robin Uthappa, Nitish Rana, Dinesh Karthik (captain and wicketkeeper), Andre Russell, Shubman Gill, Piyush Chawla, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Harry Gurney
The lions who will be taking on the field today at the e-Den! #WhistlePodu #KKRvCSK #Yellove ???????? pic.twitter.com/p83XsdUEMV
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 14, 2019
No Changes to the Playing XI! We will be fielding the same squad from the #RRvCSK win! #WhistlePodu #KKRvCSK #Yellove ????????
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 14, 2019
CSK Playing XI: Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Imran Tahir
3.30 PM: TOSS: MS Dhoni has won the toss and Chennai Super Kings have elected to field against KKR.
A look at the Playing XI for #KKRvCSK
The @ChennaiIPL field an unchanged side, whereas three changes in for the @KKRiders. pic.twitter.com/pZEJj7mez1
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 14, 2019
PREVIEW
It wasn’t too long ago that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) had met in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2019). As a matter of fact, it was just four days back that CSK got the better of KKR rather comprehensively by seven wickets. Since, CSK have continued their winning momentum, clinching a last-ball humdinger against Rajasthan Royals (RR), while KKR have endured a second consecutive defeat, a result that might just be beginning to become dangerous, considering how the likes of Mumbai Indians (MI) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are starting to climb up on the leaderboard.
For most part of the tournament, the CSK-KKR encounter was billed the battle of the top two sides, and as per the standings, they still continue to take the first two spots. However, KKR is one of the four teams with eight points, on top only due to a superior run-rate, but Mumbai are starting to peak at the right time and one more defeat going forward might see KKR slip down the rankings and play catch up.